Sectional partition



May 2o, 1924. .1,494,962-

Patentet'l May 20, i924.

uNiTED traan @0n-ws JOHN C. sanrrivnn, ornLeIn, 11i-Liners. f i

SECTIO'NL PARTITION.

Application filed January 12, 1923.

-in a partition structure adapted to be used in packing cases and the like, the invention is not limited to such embodiment, but is capable of a wide variety of uses.

@ne of the primary purposes units which may be economically manufactured in large quantities and shipped inv knocked down condition so as to occupy a minimum amount of space and which can be quickly and easily assembled by the user into a unitary structure of any desired size,

the units being adapted to be firmly interlocked one with another to'provide a strong rigid and durable structure adapted to satf isfactorily serve fora long period of time;

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I haver illustrated in the accompanying drawings, `one prefeired embodiment thereof from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, jmy

invention and many of its inherent advan' vtages should be readily understood and appreciated. j

Referring to the drawings Fig. lis a horizontal sectional view, illustrating a fragment of a packing case equipped with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the structure, shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan viewof one of the joints connecting the units of the structure;

Fig. 4 is a units; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing another method of locking the units togather.

On the drawings, reference characters 6 and 7 indicate two adjoining side walls of a packing case or the like, which may be of any preferred construction. This case is illustrated as dividedinto a series'of comdetail of one end of one of the C. SHEFFNER, j

of my in-l vention is to provide a series of duplicate seriai No. 612,251.

partments by a partitionstructure embodying myA invention. The particular partition structure illustrated is adapted to divide the case longitudinally and transversely into a series of substantially rectangular compartments, but it should be manifest that the size and shape of the compartments may be widelyv varied `by varying the number of units united at one point and also'by varying the shape of the interlocking portions ofthe respective units. In Athe form illustrated, the partition is composed of a series of duplicate units 8 provided at one or both ends, vdepending upon whether theyare to be' used as end units or intermediate units, with interlocking structures preferably formed from and integralv withthe metal of the body of each unit. if

One of these interlocking structures is shown in Fig. 4, from which it will be observed that the metal'of the body near its lend is irst bent laterally atan angle of substantially forty-five degrees from the as indicated at 9, thence at right angles to provide vthe portion l1,

plane of the body,

then aft'right angles to provide a portion 12 parallel with thej portion y9, then again at right angles to provide a portion 13 parallel with the portionA 11 and then `again at right angles to provideamargin la paral-r lelwith the portions 9 and 12 anddisposed between them. This formation of the metal provides an involute along the edge of the body of the unit, the convolutions ofwhich areldisposed` at substantiallyV right angles to the adjoining portions thus forming'what may be termed an angular involute.

The units thus formed inthe 'factory may be shipped in bundles. to users and will occupy a minimum amount of space in transit. The user assembles the units into a structure of the desired size by nesting 4the interlocking' portions, which is accomplished by sliding them together longitudinally, or in other words, in the plane of the body portions. When thus assembled the various convolutions of the interlocking involutes will assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 3, thus providing a joint by which the interengaged units are lirinly bound together.

While the joints thus provided prevent longitudinal separation of the variousunits, I find it preferable, in cases where the partitions are to be repeatedlyused and handled, to make provision for locking the joints so that the various involutes maynot become losv unnested by sliding movement. rIhis result may be accomplished by binding the various interlocking convolutions of the involutes together. One method of effecting this interlocking is illustrated in Fig. 3, from which it Will be observed that. I have inserted into the opening at the center of the joint a slightly tapered pin 15 which is illustrated as circular in cross-section, although obviously `it might be of any polygonal shape. The insertion of this pin or rod spreads the inner convolutions and imposes a frictional resistance between the various involutes which securely locks them together.

f Another method of effecting the interlocking is illustrated in Fig. In this method the outer convolutions are bent slightly inwardly as indicated byv reference character i6 on one or more sides of the joints, thereby binding the y various involutes against relative n'iovement.v It Will be apparent that when the units have been assembled and interlocled in the manner described a vstrong rigid and durable partition construction is produced which may be handled and repeatedlyused Without danger of displacement or separation of the units from each other.

It should be understoodthat the various units may be of any desired depth, and Where it maybe desirable to divide the packing case horizontally, as Well as vertically, the depth of the units is substantially onchalf, one-third or any desired fraction of the total depth of the caseand each partition structure is separated from those above or beneath, as the case may be,.by vhorizontally disposed partitions 17 in the form of a board,

' ture.

sheet of metal orother preferred structure asillustrated in F ig. 2. In this figure the` top of the case is indicated by reference character 18.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a partition structure composed of structurally independent units which are vassembled and interlocked so as to produce a strong, durable and rigid struc- It should also be manifest that the together y terlocked involutes.

edge thereof rectangular involutes adapted,

to be engaged tovlocl said units together.

3. A partition, comprising a plurality of units connected together by rectangular duplicate interengaged involutes, said involutes being distorted after interengagementto pre-` vent disengagement thereof.

4. A. partition, comprising a plurality of units provided With similarly shaped and proporti oued' rectangular involutes y'adapted to be interengaged to form a unitary structure.

portion formed alongone edge to provide an involnte adapted to beinterlockingly engagcdwwith a plurality of similarlyshaped involutes of duplicate units.

7. A sheet metal partition unit, having an edge thereof bent to form an angular involutev adapted to befinterlockingly engaged, upon edgeivisc movement of the unit, with identically shaped involutes. of duplicate unitsQ y l 'j l V8. A partition structure, comprising a plurality of units each comprising a body portion providedy with an angular involuteto interengage with sin'iilarinvolutes of duplicate'units whereby said units are `'connected together to form a partition structure in 5. A unit ot thecharacter described, com-v which the units radiate in avplurality of f planes from the joint produced by ythe .in-

JoHN c. siliiaFrNER. 

